The Girl Under the Bed Outtakes
by Nostalgicmiss
Summary: Outtakes from the Girl under the Bed. AH/ M for Language.
1. Edward and Kate Plus One

**All things Twilight belong to the amazing Stephenie Meyer, Happy TGUT Tuesday =)**

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**Edward and Kate Plus One**

_Oh roses and cigarettes  
Pillow case that remembers you  
the scent of you still lingers on my fingertips  
Till I think I might go insane  
When will I see you again _  
_**Roses and Cigarettes - Ray LaMontagne**_

* * *

The football game was getting dirty and we all knew it. I could feel Emmett and Jacob's hesitance as Jasper and I kept playing too rough. Even when they switched up we aimed for one another leaving the other wide open, it had gone far beyond the game. It was personal.

I knew Bella was waning as far as our relationship was concerned. Whatever had happened in Dr. Cullen's office had changed something. Nothing good would come out of that. She seemed resigned, too reflective, and I knew our time together was coming to an end.

These past few months with Bella had made me happy; she was intelligent and funny, affectionate and caring. She was a breath of fresh air, something I hadn't expected to find again. Especially not in Forks, and definitely not living with my stuck up, over-opinionated parents.

Alice was worried I was on the rebound, and more than that, she was worried I would end up breaking Bella's heart. Bella was so fragile when I met her. A china doll that could be crumbled if you squeezed her too tightly. We'd been close friends for a while before I had kissed her, and we seemed to just naturally progress to the next step which was attempting a relationship. It hadn't been my intention to start something with her, but I found I couldn't walk away.

Alice still refused to take sides between Jasper and I, and I couldn't blame her. I was her brother, her blood. We'd known one another our entire lives, but Jasper was her best friend, her confidante. She told him things she had never told anyone else before. So I had to understand on some level. Whether I liked to admit it or not he'd been there for her when I had been the asshole with my head shoved up my ass, acting like my parents because I thought they were something to aspire to.

Things were different now though, being in New York, talking to people I had never been exposed to before made me see things I wouldn't have seen before. It was liberating in ways. Being here with my parents again, listening to them talk about people as though they were mere objects made me sick to my stomach. If they knew about Bella's past, I knew they never would've be so welcoming.

Still, in her own way Bella had enchanted them. Much the same way she had enchanted me. She was always polite and able to hold her own in conversations with them, and they found that endearing about her. Not many people stuck by their convictions when talking to the great Edward Masen Sr., they would normally fold and agree with him because they thought it was what he wanted to hear.

Not Bella, if she didn't agree she would tell him, argue her point until he himself started seeing things her way. Her passion was infectious, even if she did apologize for speaking out of turn when she was finished.

I stole a glance at the dark haired beauty sat on the bench between my sister and best friend. I had to let her go even if I was in love with her. I knew she loved me, on some level at least, but her heart was Jasper's, and I selfishly continued to covet her for myself because I found I needed her in my life.

She was the one thing that helped me forget, the one thing that made me believe I could move on and be happy, because I was happy with her.

We ran through another play, Jacob and Emmett trying their best to keep Jasper and I apart as Emmett and I tried to intercept the play. In a move that only Emmett could pull off, he dived across the field catching it before it touched Jacob's hands. He hit the ground hard, but hopped up with a smile, tossing me the ball.

"Our play, Eddie. You ready?"

"Enough with the Eddie crap, Emmett."

Emmett chuckled, but took the ball from my hands and assumed his position on the field opposite Jacob, the ball pushed against the mud clod that used to be grass below him. My eyes scanned the field slowly, surreptitiously going for a glance at Bella, but it wasn't her that my eyes fixated on. In fact, I didn't even get to her.

I did a double take of the familiar face to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. I was even vaguely aware of Emmett calling out the play, but I couldn't get my thoughts together quickly enough to stop the game.

I couldn't even process what I was seeing because it seemed impossible. Reality was taking a back seat as my eyes scanned the body of the woman in front of me. I heard the last hike, and my hands reflexively snapped the ball from the air, but I couldn't move. My eyes widened as the realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

It really was Kate, and she really was pregnant.

A demolition ball came at me like a gust of wind, knocking me from my feet so my back planted into the ground and my head bounced against the sodden grass and mud mix. It was a hard hit, one I knew I had to attribute to Jasper, but that was the last thing on my mind as I heard the voice I knew so well ring out across the field with my name on her lips.

It was just my name, but I could hear the panic coating it, tainting her voice as it rang out in the darkening afternoon. I didn't realize how much I had wanted to hear her voice until it was hanging in the air around us.

My eyes found her, even from my position in the mud. She was walking as quickly as she could manage towards the torn up field of grass and mud, past the girls on the bench, past the cooler. Panic seemed to cover the beauty I had forgotten.

I pushed myself up from the ground in one swift movement, my eyes locked on the woman that was moving as quickly as she could towards me. I hadn't realized just how much I had missed her. I seldom let myself think about her most of the time, so seeing her in the flesh was making it hard to ignore the emotions that surfaced now.

Her blonde hair hung around her shoulders, waving gently in the wind as her blue eyes finally found mine.

"Kate?"

She said nothing, but continued to walk towards me with as much speed as she could muster. Our eyes were locked on the others as she drew closer to me. I could feel want take over my entire body the closer she got.

She stopped not three feet in front of me, her delicate hands raising in the air, hesitating a little as she thought over what she was doing.

"Edward," she whispered, the sound lost in the wind. Memories seemed to flood my mind, the time we spent together, laughing and giggling as we tried to ice skate, watching movies with buckets of popcorn with too much butter; it was the only way she would eat it. Sunday mornings and our picnics in the park. Every small insignificant memory about our relationship seemed to seep into my mind and take over my being.

Whatever she saw in my eyes made her hesitance dissipate, her fingers traced along my hairline and down my jaw, meeting at my chin as her eyes drank me in. My hands were still at my side, her protruding stomach causing a gap between us.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine. Kate, you're here."

"I know that silly," she smiled, her eyes narrowing with her adoring gaze.

I had missed that ice cool blue that seemed to sparkle in any light, the small flecks of midnight blue as they closed in around her pupil. The small crease between her eyes when she smiled because she bit her tongue when she grinned like that. Everything about her was so familiar.

My eyes moved from her face down to her stomach and back up again. Her smile fell just a little and I wondered instantly what had caused it. I couldn't stand seeing her upset.

"What's the matter?"

"Edward, I'm so sorry. I should have told you everything, I was just so scared, I didn't know what to do."

I heard someone shift behind me and step out from the circle of frozen people.

"Shit, Bella . . . You're an asshole, Masen!" Jasper said, sprinting towards the girl who disappeared into the forest surrounding the field.

Without a thought my hand moved to my face, my fingers pinching the bridge of my nose as the reality came crashing down around me.

Bella.

"Edward?" Kate asked, her eyes following Jasper across the field. "What was that?"

"That was Jasper, and I will explain everything, I think we both have some explaining to do."

Before I could even move to get her away from here, Alice and Rosalie joined the small group. Alice's eyes were wary as she assessed the situation. I could see that she was angry, I just couldn't figure out which part was causing it.

"Hi, you must be Kate."

Alice stepped up beside me, leaning into Jacob's body. Her eyes moved over Kate's body before pointedly looking to me. I had forgotten where I was until Jasper's slight at me. Now I realized I was surrounded by my friends in this overwhelming situation. If I'd had a choice, this wouldn't have been how I'd have chosen to find this out. Did Alice really think I knew about this? That I was hiding Kate's Pregnancy?

Kate's eyes shifted to Alice, it was the first time she'd looked away from me since arriving.

"Kate, this is Alice, my younger sister and her boyfriend Jacob, and you know Rosalie and Emmett."

Kate nodded and offered Alice a smile. "I've heard a lot about you, Alice. It's nice to finally meet you."

Alice said nothing in return and I knew instantly that she was being hostile. It was unusual for Alice to be anything but polite. I knew she had every right in the world to be defensive of her best friend, as well as being pissed thinking I had kept this from her, but right now her feelings were the least of my worries. I was the one torn between staying here and talking to Kate or going after Bella myself.

"How did you know we'd be here?" Alice asked politely, her smile not as genuine as I would have liked.

"I went to your house and your mom said you were here. I think I scared her half to death, she didn't look too happy."

"Can you blame her?" Alice mumbled under her breath, her eyes narrowing. I saw Jacob's fingers flex around her waist as he registered her hostility. I however, couldn't believe how rude she was being.

"Alice." My voice had a warning tone to back off. She could rip me apart later, Kate didn't need this from her; she'd done nothing to deserve it.

"I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Bella. I think I should have gone after her."

"I would have preferred that." I answered without really thinking about the ramifications of a statement like that. Alice's mouth fell open and her eyes narrowed at me. In my defense it had almost become reflex, but she was right in her accusations. I should have been the one to talk to Bella, and I certainly had no right to act like the jealous boyfriend.

"I'm sorry, Al. Listen guys, do you mind giving us a minute?"

Without another word, the four of them nodded and walked towards the dirt lot where Alice had parked her car next to Emmett's Jeep. Jasper's car was still there and I couldn't stop my fleeting thoughts from going to Bella. She deserved more than this, she deserved an explanation from me.

"I'm sorry, Eward. I didn't mean to cause problems."

"You didn't, it's my fault she's upset."

Kate slid her hands in mine, her tiny fingers closing around the heel of my hand as her thumbs stroked the palms gently. Her eyes found mine again, and I couldn't help the slamming of my heart against my ribs. I had missed her so much.

I let go of one of her hands, but kept the other as we walked towards her car. We had a lot of talking to do and I could only imagine where we were going to start. The best place was the very obvious elephant in the room.

We got in the car but Kate made no move to start it; it seemed we were going to do this here.

"I think I should start." she sighed, her fingers playing with the necklace that hung close to her stomach. "But can I please start with how much I missed you?"

"Kate, I missed you too, but you can't keep avoiding the very obvious first topic of conversation." Her hand was back in mine, and I found myself rubbing the skin softly with my thumb in an attempt to soothe her.

"He's yours." She breathed, closing her eyes. The dark makeup she was wearing made her look exhausted.

"He? We're having a boy?"

"Edward you don't have to pretend. I didn't come here with any misconceptions, I know you have a five year plan and we're not really a part of that and it's fine, but I needed you to know why."

"Why what? And what the hell are you talking about?" I asked confused. I had no idea what she meant about a five year plan. How she could ever believe I didn't want her was beyond me.

"The night we broke up," she said, once again weighing her words heavily. "I was going to tell you that night, but when we were at dinner you started talking about your five year plan and when you hoped to start a family and your career and how excited you were about finishing school, and I couldn't do it. I couldn't tell you because you knew what you wanted, you said it with such conviction that I knew I had to let you go."

"Conviction? Kate I don't even remember saying that. That night," I said, trying with everything I was to remember the conversation. Small slithers of memory seemed to infiltrate my mind. "That night I was trying to figure a few things out. I had a ring, I was planning to propose at Christmas, I just wanted to make sure it's what you wanted. That was probably my way of trying to figure out what you would say."

"You were going to propose?" She asked, sniffling a little as her eyes welled up with tears. "Oh God, Edward. This is all such a mess. I only came here to let you know, so you could decide what you wanted. I never counted on all this . . . this love I have for you eating away at me again. I just wanted to give you options."

I watched as she dug through her purse, pulling out tissues and wiping her eyes carefully and everything became so clear. I knew what I wanted, I wanted her, I wanted this, I wanted a family.

"Marry me, Kate."

"That's not why I came, Edward."

"I know that, you forget how well I know you. I mean it, I want this, I want you. Marry me."

"This is just a reaction to the news. You always do the right thing and that's not why I came. I can do this alone."

"What will make you believe me, Kate? I love you, I've always loved you, be my wife."

Her silence rang throughout the car. The gentle wind that had been playing in the leaves all afternoon was picking up a little. I wanted this, I needed her to say yes, but I knew I had to lay everything on the line before she answered.

I had to tell her about Bella. It was a touchy subject considering everything that had gone down in the last week. There was no way to explain everything that had happened, there was no way to explain any of it. Even without her showing up it was more complicated than I liked to admit. Having her here, as wonderful as it was, made everything so much more confusing.

Even through the confusion I had clarity, I knew what I wanted. I just hoped I could word it the right way.

"Kate, maybe I should explain a few things before you answer me. I've been dating someone, I have been for the last couple months. She's so sweet and young, she's also one of my best friends. She was going through something similar to what I was when I met her. We became close and bonded over what had happened to us. I don't think either of us intended to get involved, but it happened."

"Do you love her?"

"I do. It's not in the same way that I love you, Kate. Nothing could ever come close to that, but I do love her. I think if you ever met her you would . . ."

Kate raised her eyebrows and I slammed my mouth shut. I was making this sound terrible, and in reality it was. I was asking my ex to marry me while the girl I was dating was with her ex somewhere. I knew Bella though, I knew she would be hurting. It was seven levels of messed up and there was no way of righting it.

"Edward, what am I supposed to . . . I mean, how would you feel if . . . I hurt you, I get that, but how could you fall for someone so easily?"

"It's not that simple, Kate. We bonded because we'd both been hurt by people we truly loved. I'm not placing the blame on you, please don't misunderstand me. It's just something that happened with time. I love you, Kate, and I always will. I just didn't understand why you pushed me away like that."

Kate turned in her seat, her eyes clouded with unshed tears. I knew this revelation hurt her, and for the first time since I'd met Bella I truly understood what she'd been going through. I felt so torn inside, ripped apart. I did love her, I loved Bella, but I knew that Kate was supposed to be the one I was with. I knew it and I was selfish enough to make a decision without even talking to Bella first. Bella would never do that, it wasn't who Bella was, she cared enough about me to do the right thing, and yet I hadn't extended her the same courtesy.

"I want you, Kate. Nothing has changed there." It seemed I couldn't stop myself though.

"But this girl, Edward. What am I supposed to do with information like that?"

"Whatever you feel necessary. I told you because I don't want to start our lives together with a lie hanging over our heads. I love you, I want to marry you, but you have to know how hurt I was when you pushed me away."

"Of course I know, Edward. You don't think it's been plaguing me everyday since? You were it for me, you have always been it for me. I know I kept this huge thing from you, but I could never, would never . . ."

"I didn't know, and you can't hold this against me, Kate. Not if we're going to try and make this work. If you can't get past this, if you don't think you can trust me, I understand. But I thought you didn't want me, you know I fought for you. I called you every day for a month and there was nothing. Your roommate told me to stop calling, so I came over. I fought tooth and nail for you. The only option I had was to move on. I never intended to fall for Bella, it just happened."

Kate's eyes slid closed as I said Bella's name. I could see her body shaking as her free hand ran over her swollen stomach with care and devotion. Our child was in there, our child. Made out of our love for one another.

"The girl that your friend chased into the forest. That was her wasn't it?"

"Yes, and Jasper, who followed her, is the guy that broke her heart. The guy she's still in love with. It was a fucked up situation, and I don't pretend to understand it, but I do know she will be happier with him. Just as I will be happy with you, because you're the one I want."

I watched her eyes flicker open. A small smile came to her lips as a tear slid down her cheek. "I think he likes you, he's been kicking since you started talking."

She took the hand she was holding and placed it on her stomach where something was moving against her. It was the strangest sensation. A nudging under the membrane of her skin, pushing against her stomach and my hand with a small force that resembled a muscle twitching. In that one moment, with my hand wrapped gently around Kate's stomach, I fell in love with my unborn son.

"Marry me, Kate." Every ounce of conviction I had was placed in those three words and I meant every single one of them.

She paused for a second, her eyes skimming over the surface of my face and finally holding mine. She gazed into them for the longest time as I mentally begged her to say yes. I meant every word of it, even though I knew I was doing this backwards, I needed to hear her say yes.

Her hand cupped my cheek as our son kicked against the palm of my hand.

"Yes, Edward, I will marry you."

I leaned over the console, taking her delicate face between my hands before closing the distance between us. My lips, so perfectly fit hers as they molded together in a fiery passion I hadn't felt in months. Yes, I may have loved Bella, but there was never this primal need to be in her skin, to be enveloped with her so completely I couldn't breathe.

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**A/N: Not sure if I had Edward's voice right, for me he's a tough nut to crack. He's a little more reserved than Jasper and less self-effacing than Bella. I just feel as though I go over and over the same material in this.**

**Thank you to Bob for Beta'ing last minute for me (Hev99) Cravingtwilight is at work and I forgot to remind her about this so I feel terrible.**

**Thanks as always to Miztrezboo, and bendingmirrors for prereading and shutting me up when I get all whiny.**

**A huge thank you to everyone who reviewed the Epilogue. I think it too me all week to get through them because I was crying so much!!! You all rock and I love you all!!!  
**  
Much love & Big hugz ~ Weezy ~


	2. Lead Me To You

_**All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer. Sadly the last TGUT Tuesday :(**_

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**Lead Me to You**

_We took the town to town last night.  
We kissed like we invented it!  
And now I know what every step is for:  
to lead me to your door._  
_**Mirrorball - Elbow**_

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Jasper Whitlock, he hadn't been living here my whole life like Rosalie and Emmett, but we had so much in common. He was easy to talk to, funny and so very caring. He hated to see anyone around him suffering, but I think he was the person that was suffering the most.

It had been two years since his family moved in to the beautiful old English style cottage at the edge of town, and we had been inseparable since. We did pretty much everything together. Yet friends was our limit.

He was dating Lauren Mallory currently, yet he couldn't stand her. They broke up as much as they were together. They were chalk and cheese. Oil and Water. They just didn't mesh well, but his father insisted that he keep her happy so that their social standing could improve.

Being new to this, his dad sure did fit in well.

Jasper hated this lifestyle and I couldn't really blame him. It had taken him a while to fit in and even now he and my brother had constant battles of wit. There was a pissing contest every other day. Still, even as annoying as Edward could be, he never drove Jasper to the point Lauren or Mr. Whitlock did.

Jasper, when frustrated, had a habit of just disappearing for hours on end. No one knew where he went or what he did, but Emmett had said that he always came back bruised. I was biding my time, waiting for him to get exasperated at Lauren or his Dad so I could finally see where he went to release all of the frustration.

It just so happened today was the the very day I would get the chance.

I could hear Lauren's nasally voice from a mile away. Her signature pout was on display for all to see and I could see Jasper's mental eye roll. Mainly because he physically did it when someone brought up her name.

"Come on, Jasper," Lauren whined, dragging out the on so it sounded like nails on a chalkboard.

"No, Lauren. I already told you, no more double dates with your snooty ass friends. I have nothing in common with those guys."

"Then you have nothing in common with me. You do realize that you're going to do it anyway, don't you? It's what I want, you have to keep me happy." Her long talons stabbed him in the chest before she spun on her heel and marched away down the hall.

Jasper slammed his locker shut, the metallic crash echoing down the corridor as his body turned, thumping his back against it. I could almost feel his frustration from where I was stood. It was like a physical being, stifling and heady. His hands gripped the roots of his hair as his foot pounded against the locker behind him.

This was what I hated to see, this was the real Jasper. When he thought no one was looking his pain seemed to ebb from him, leaking from his very pores. I knew that he'd had a hard time before he moved here, that life was far from perfect, but I also knew he was happier there. This pseudo life he was living now just seemed to make things so much worse. It was slowly turning him into a ghost.

"Fuck this shit."

Jasper pushed off the wall of lockers, his heavy footfalls echoing through the empty corridor like small claps of thunder. For a split second I was hesitant. I knew I should give him his small amount of freedom, let him vent out his frustration without having me tagging along; but this was the only part of him I didn't know. He was my best friend, and I wanted to do what I could for him.

I followed him out of the school, the emptying lot made it easy to hide from him. It wasn't as though he didn't know my car. He'd been at my sixteenth birthday party when my parents had given me my Yukon. I just had to keep a safe distance from his Dad's old Ford Explorer.

I tried to avoid the sea of bodies as they made their way to their cars and buses, my eyes trained on the deep red of the SUV. I still knew it was wrong to follow him, I knew it wasn't my place to tail him like some Nancy Drew know it all. I just wanted to know he was safe, I wanted to know that whatever he was doing to release all of this tension wouldn't, or couldn't hurt him more than a couple of bruises.

He hammered the gas the moment he was out of town, I could see he was speeding, and I was falling further behind by the second. If I wanted to keep him in my line of sight I would have to speed up a bit more. I still wasn't a hundred percent confident with driving, and the twists and turns of these forest highways terrified me, but I had to do this for him, I had to quash my curiosity before it got the better of me.

We drove for a while, through the rain that made it through the canopy of trees and onto the highway. His car was spitting up rain in the tread, but I was far enough away to not be affected by it, thankfully. I had enough to contend with, I didn't need visual impairment added to the list.

I saw the signs for La Push long before I saw any buildings. The trees started to thin along the highway as the brine smell of the sea flooded my car. I'd only ever come to La Push with my friends in the Summer, we normally headed down to third beach because the locals would be on the coveted first beach. I didn't mind sharing, but Lauren, Jessica and sometimes Rosalie insisted. They didn't want people staring at them.

Jasper pulled off the main highway before he ever reached town though. It was a small dirt road that lead to a building sat back against the trees. It looked like a small community center, broken down and slightly rickety. The siding was off color and had gaps where some of it had come loose, yet it still looked cared for. The grass was neatly mowed, and from where I was I could see the sign looked relatively new.

I tried to hang back as far as I could. I tried not to be seen, but it was useless. Jasper had caught me, and had probably known I was following him from the moment we left Forks. He waved me forwards, his brow less severe than it had been when he'd left the school. In fact, he almost looked amused.

I hit the gas and drove towards him, pulling to a stop next to his car and offering a sheepish smile as he walked towards the drivers side door. I had been right, he was amused, and I could now see the genuine smile as he tapped on my window.

"I'm so sorry," I squeaked, as the window opened. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I wasn't trying to follow you."

Jasper laughed as he folded his arms on the window, his torso leaning in. I could see his eyes sparkling and the unsung laugh in his throat resonating as he spoke to me. "I would avoid a career in espionage, Al. You're crap at it."

"Yeah, well I wasn't following you remember."

"Why don't I believe you?" he asked grinning.

"Shut up. I saw you arguing with Lauren. I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"You just can't resist my body."

"Ew, Jasper. That's wrong on so many levels."

Jasper threw his head onto his forearms as he laughed. I rolled my eyes, trying to maintain the position of steely indignation at his accusation, but it was useless. His laughter was contagious and in turn, it made me unwillingly join in. Unmasking the horrible attempt at lying.

"Fine, I was following you, but I just wanted to know where you went. You've been my best friend since you got here, and it's the only thing I don't know about you."

"There was an easier way to find out, Al," he offered, his laughter finally subsiding. I looked at him and cocked a brow in question. "You could have asked me."

"Come on, Jasper. That's too easy, and I really don't think you would have told me anyway."

"Why? It's nothing bad. I just don't want my dad finding out."

"Your dad?" I questioned. It was an unusual statement for him to make. His dad really didn't pay much attention to Jasper unless he thought he was doing something wrong. Their relationship hadn't been all that good to begin with, and it seemed to steadily decline with every conversation they had. Quite impressive considering the Whitlocks spent more and more time out of town.

"Do you remember the conversation you and I had about the first time he hit me?"

"Yeah, he was upset that you quit your boxing classes or something."

Jasper smiled at me and waited until the connection finally dawned on me. He was boxing again. It made sense and explained the bruises, but he'd also said that he'd hated doing it.

"I know what you're thinking, Al. I did hate it, but without my Dad hanging over my shoulder every second, I find it liberating. He always said I had a natural talent," Jasper huffed and pushed back from the car. "If only he knew he was the one thing holding me back."

"Who do you fight with? Or do you just train?"

"A kid called Embry Call from the reservation. His grandfather has been training him, happy to have someone to fight against I think. The bag doesn't fight back."

"So this is where all the bruises come from?"

"I knew it!" Jasper said, stepping back from the window. "You want my body! You're obsessed."

"Cut it out, Jazz. I enjoyed my lunch the first time, it won't be so pleasant the next time around."

"You're in denial."

"You're a meat head."

"WHITLOCK!"

Jasper stepped to the side, looking over the hood of my car and smiling at his friends. I could see two boys approaching, both of them were Stretch Armstrong's, and had to be over six foot easily.

"Embry, Jake. Thanks for coming up," Jasper called walking to the front of the car, his familiar smile plastered on his face. He seemed to exude comfort here with these boys, something I only ever seen when it was just the two of us hanging out. It was nice to know I wasn't the only one he could be like that with.

He looked back at me and cocked his head, a laugh just brimming under the surface. Two years of sarcasm and I knew his looks. He wanted me to get out of the car. Thing was, now I knew the big secret I didn't want to. Yet, I had to.

I wound up my window and pulled the keys out of the ignition with a sigh. Had I known it was some testosterone fueled masculinity thing I wouldn't have followed him, but in my defense he hadn't exactly been forthcoming about the whole thing either.

I pushed open my car door and slid out, pushing the door closed behind me before heading towards the three boys who were now laughing and talking amongst themselves.

"Guys, say hello to my little friend," he laughed his elbow resting on my shoulder. "This is Alice. Alice, this is Embry and Jacob."

"Hey guys," I offered with a smile, shrugging out from under Jasper's arm. "Good to meet you."

The guy called Jacob looked me up and down and smiled with amusement. He was damn lucky he was cute, because I knew what was coming next.

"You can say it." I prompted.

"Say what?" Jacob asked innocently. Jasper and Embry snickered quietly beside us.

"I've been this tall since I was twelve, I think I've heard every prose there is concerning my height. Just spit it out, I'm a big girl, I can handle it."

All three of the guys broke into laughter at my choice of words. I rolled my eyes and stepped through them, making my way to the door. This was why I hadn't had a boyfriend in a while, they were all so immature.

"Ali, don't be mad," Jasper laughed, still trying to regain composure.

"I'm not mad, Jackass. I'm bored. Anyway, it's not my fault your friends look like their Harry's relatives. Maybe the Henderson's can fit them in too."

Another wave of laughter seemed to spill out of the boys as they headed towards me and the door I was now holding open for them. I was biting back the smile that was threatening to come. I had never been a stone cold bitch like Lauren or Jess, but sometimes I liked to pretend.

"Glad I amuse you."

I followed them into the big hall that had a ton of exercise equipment littering the area, but the most prevalent thing was the ring set up in the middle. It was the focal point of the room, everything else simply fit around it.

It seemed odd that it would be that way. Jasper had made it sound as though Embry was the only one in the village that did this. Maybe I had misunderstood him. He and Embry disappeared into what I assumed was the locker room, so I followed Jacob to the stack of ugly blue mats piled up by the ring.

"Do you box, Jacob?"

"I train," he said, sitting down and leaning back on one elbow. "But I don't get in the ring often, kinda partial to my teeth. The only guy I'm in the same weight class with is Paul, and he quit a while back, so I just work out here with the other guys."

I sat down next to him and pulled my knees up under my chin, the hand closest to him started picking at a small hole in the mat we were sat on. I liked the way he talked, the warm husky tone of his voice was almost mesmerizing to me. He was also easy on the eyes. Being this close to him I could see how flawless his russet skin was as it moved over the strong jaw and cheek bones, the way his lips moved and formed the words. Then there were his eyes. I had no idea that eyes could be that expressive, they were dark brown around the pupil and lightened as they bridged out, small flecks of darker and lighter colors weaving in and out of them. Even his dark hair was beautiful.

"So, you just workout and watch?"

"That's about the gist of it," he laughed, his long leg lifting up and coming to rest on the edge of the mat.

I was far too aware of this guy. I hadn't realized that each one of his movements had caught my attention until I found my eyes moving up his leg slowly towards his . . . I looked up at his face, my cheeks warm after catching myself.

"So what are you doing here? You thinking of making a weight class for the little people."

He was also infuriating.

"No. I followed Jasper to make sure he was alright."

For a fleeting second Jacob looked disappointed, and I felt the need to clarify my intent, not to mention my relationship with Jasper.

"He's my best friend, he had a fight with his girlfriend." I shrugged. "Figured he needed someone to talk to."

"He's still dating Lauren? I thought he broke it off?"

"He did, but they're back together. It's a long story, and it's really not my place to talk about it. I just wanted to make sure he was ok."

"You said that already," Jacob chuckled, his head turning so he was looking directly at me. His eyes were alight with something I couldn't identify, but I wanted to find out. I wanted to know everything there was to know about him. I felt so inexplicably drawn to him being this close.

"So do you have a boyfriend, Alice?"

"No, I was dating a jackass a while back, but he made out with the school gossip and it got back to me in record time, so I figured it would be best to not . . . date?"

Why I ended it in a question was beyond me, why I started to spew out my sad non existent love life was even more perplexing. Sure, I found Jacob nice to look at, but was I attracted to him? I knew the answer to that the moment his face lit up with my statement, mainly because my heart fluttered wildly in my chest.

I was attracted to Jacob.

I wanted him.

How the hell did that happen?

"I'm sorry to hear that, but his loss is my gain."

My eyes flickered to Jacob's as my heart no longer fluttered but hammered in my chest. His cocky confidence was strangely endearing. It was something I would normally mock, and here I was batting my eyelashes at him.

"Confident aren't you!"

Jacob laughed, shifting slightly so his body was angled towards me. He really was handsome, and his perfectly proportioned body was astounding. My fingers fiddled a little more with the hole in the mat as a comfortable silence hung between us. My eyes watched as my fingers picked, because I really had no idea where I should look.

I liked him, and the snob in me was already going through scenarios that could never happen. It was a conflict with my heart though, because this short encounter had me wanting more. It was filling me with questions about everything.

The most prevalent question was, could this really work if I wanted it?

Yes, it could, and that was only more obvious when his large, warm hand covered mine. Stilling it from picking at the exposed padding of the ugly blue mat.

I lifted my eyes to once again meet his. He was smiling again, a cocky, confident smile that showed the rows of perfectly white teeth standing out in contrast to the warm color of his skin.

"What are you thinking about so hard?"

"Nothing and everything all at the same time."

"Sounds deep."

I laughed once. "It's actually very shallow."

A thud, coming from the ring in the center of the room, averted my attention from Jacob. Jasper was laid on his back, his gloved hand over his nose. I hadn't even realized they'd started.

Apparently being aware of this guy made everything else dissolve in my consciousness. I didn't even know how long we'd been sat there talking.

Jasper groaned and rolled to the side, his glove still covering most of his face as he rolled to his knees.

"Jasper, are you alright?"

Jasper stood up and bounced a couple times before hanging over the ropes closest to me. He smiled before spitting out his mouth guard into the huge palm of the glove.

"You don't have to stay and watch this Al, go home. I promise I'll call you later."

"But . . ."

"It's only going to get worse. It's a violent sport and you really don't need to be here. Trust me ok."

I nodded, I never really liked violence all that much anyway, so watching my best friend fight some giant Quileute kid, really wasn't going to do anything for my nerves.

"I'll talk to you later, Jazz. Nice meeting you, Embry."

Embry nodded and bounced a little more, pulling his hands up in front of his face to defend himself. I looked over to Jacob and smiled. Inexplicably, I had a sense of loss coursing through me. Could this guy have had such an impact on me already?

"It was nice meeting you too, Jake."

I slid to the edge of the mat and pushed myself up. I knew I should go, ignore everything I felt and move on, but there was an overwhelming sadness with the thought. Jacob seemed like such a sweet guy, one I knew I would probably get along great with, but the Masen in me was fighting it, and I hated myself for it.

"Hey, Alice." I stopped and turned around in time to see Jacob getting up from the mats. His long body stretching to his full height so he towered above me. "I'll walk you out."

He sidled up beside me so I had to look up at him. He had to be at least six foot four.

"Thanks," I grinned looking down and towards the door.

We walked in relative silence. Our bodies so close I could almost feel his body heat tickling the exposed skin on the back of my hand. I was so conflicted; so torn as to what I should do. He'd made it perfectly obvious that he was interested, and I knew that I reciprocated, but there were so many things to factor in. Things that I was currently ignoring because he was so close and completely distracting me.

Like a perfect gentleman he held the door open for me, letting me step out into the cool afternoon wind. The rain was coming down a little heavier now, the earlier mist had progressed into full thick drops that fell from the sky.

"You don't have to get all wet" I said quietly. pulling my keys out from my pocket. "I'll make a mad dash to the car."

"It's nice."

"What the rain?"

"No, your car," he laughed, stepping out from the small awning and into the rain.

"Thanks, my parents got it for me for my birthday."

"Nice parents."

"Not really," I sighed, hitting the clicker on the keys and unlocking the doors. "Get in."

We both ran out into the rain towards the car, our doors opening in perfect synchronization before we pulled them closed behind us. The new car smell still linger in here, the leather seats still stiff and squeaky.

"It's beautiful."

"I like it, not what I would have picked for myself, but I wouldn't trade it for the world."

"It actually suits you."

I laughed quietly.

"What's so funny?"

"My brother says it's like a tea cup yorkie running around in the body of a great dane."

Jacob laughed again, this time with me as we fell into easy conversation, about everything and nothing. Jacob had a sarcastic sense of humor that kept me constantly smiling. I was enjoying every second I was spending with him, making fun of some of the Forks girls that came down, the arrogant asses that would drive their expensive cars too fast through the village and expect the same treatment from the police in La Push as they got in Forks.

We talked about movies, music and books. School, our friends, where we wanted to go to college. The things we liked to do in our spare time. I learned that he rebuilt old engines in his garage, I told him about my love of architecture and he actually sat and listened to me go on about the landmarks I wanted to see in Europe.

Before we knew it, darkness was closing in on us, and Jasper and Embry emerged from the community center all smiles and laughter. Jasper smiled sarcastically at me before saying goodbye to Embry and climbing into his car.

Embry stood under the awning, pulling on his jacket as he gave Jacob a nod. It seemed our time together had sadly come to an end. Jacob lifted his index finger at Embry before turning to me and giving me his award winning smile.

"Can I get your number, Alice. I would love to call you."

There were the butterflies again. That tugging in my stomach that made me feel so elated, the slight dizziness that made me feel giddy. It seemed that my heart had won the battle with my head, there was no doubt anymore.

There was also no denying him. No denying this chemistry we had with one another, because it was there, it was like electricity pulsing through the air, and I wanted it more than I had ever wanted anything else. Giving him my number was something I was more than happy about.

I pulled a pen and an old receipt from my center console and jotted down my number to my cell, my excitement made my writing almost illegible but the numbers were clear and that's all he needed. I could have given him the line to my room, but that would show on the others phones giving everyone access to the call. This way, he wouldn't have to be questioned by my brother or parents, he would get straight through to me whenever he wanted to talk, and I was beginning to hope that would be often.

"Can I call you tonight?"

"I would like that," I smiled, knowing that I meant it.

Jacob leaned over the console and smiled, pulling the small piece of paper from my hand. My body exploded into a myriad of tingles and shivers as he neared me. I could smell his woodsy scent stronger than ever this close to him, I could feel my heartbeat in my temples as I breathed him in. He consumed me.

I wanted to say more, I wanted to do more, but I was frozen to the spot, drinking in the perfect golden skin of his neck stretching gently over his muscles as it gave way to his strong jaw. The only sound I could hear was the pounding of my heart, mingled with the gentle tapping of the rain on the roof of the car.

"Alice," he whispered, his warm breath caressing my cheek gently. My breathing picked up the moment his voice sank in to my subconscious. It could have been my imagination, but there was so much wanting and need in his voice. If only I could convey that, show him how I felt with one simple word, but I never got the chance.

I looked up at him, but before I could drink him in or articulate a word, his lips were on mine warm and soft. His hand moved to my cheek, cupping my face as his tongue ran along my bottom lip. Warmth spread through me, my blood turned to fire in my veins as I fell into him, fell into the moment. I knew exactly what he wanted and without thought parted my own lips, dragging in air as we deepened the kiss.

He seemed to be everywhere, his heat, his breath, and his body. Our tongues danced in unison, as though they had been made for one another, pushing our need and desperation as we clung to one another.

Had I been standing; my legs would have given way and I would have been on the ground trying to recover from the most amazing kiss of my life, but as it was, I was sat down, my legs shaking gently as my fingers gripped the front of his shirt pulling him closer.

I could have stayed like that for a lifetime, drinking him in. The feel of his lips on mine was like nothing I had ever experienced before. They were satin smooth and warm, forming around mine perfectly, even in the awkward position of leaning over the console.

It was perfect. He was perfect. I never wanted it to end.

We only broke apart when Embry's cheering and catcalls moved to his hands slamming on the hood with wolf whistles and cheering. Jacob flipped him the bird while my cheeks flooded with warmth at having an audience. Not that I cared all that much. For a kiss like that, I would gladly have an audience if it was the only way I could get it.

"Sorry," he chuckled, his hand cupping my neck as his thumb brushed over the apple of my cheek. "I just couldn't help myself."

"I'm not complaining."

"I noticed," he laughed, leaning forward and pressing his lips to mine again. "I'll call you tonight?"

I nodded, it was all I was capable of. Jacob Black had swept me off my feet and I knew I was undoubtedly his for as long as he would have me.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for reading. I hope that this did the last chapter Justice. Alice was so fun to play with. I love her vibrancy and honesty. She just seems to know what she wants when it all falls into place.**

**Thank you so much to miztrezboo, bendingmirrors, and cravingtwilight, for all of their support throughout this fic. You gals are amazing and I wouldn't know what I would do without you.**

**To each and every one of you that read, added to your favorite or alerts and reviewed. You have all made this so amazing and I have no idea how to thank you for it. Every week you have been there putting a smile on my face, no matter what the characters were getting up to, and I love each and every one of you for it :)**

**And in a moment of shameless self promotion lol, I will start posting my new fic next Tuesday.**

**Much love and HUGE HUGZ  
~Weezy.**


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